Single hand, paper towel dispenser

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a single hand, paper towel dispenser comprising a base, a core holder operable to hold a roll of paper towel segments connected together end-to-end along perforated tear lines. The invention has a paper towel dispensing bale including mutually parallel arms that receive a paper towel strip in a general S-shaped path during a one handed dispensing operation.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A single hand, paper towel dispenser comprising: 
       a base operable to be mounted upon a generally planar surface;  
       a core holder for a roll of paper towel segments connected together end-to-end along transverse perforated tear lines, said core holder having a central longitudinal axis and being connected to said base, said core holder being operable to rotatably support the roll of paper towel segments; and  
       a single hand, paper towel dispensing bale connected to said base forming a bale pivot operable to pivot toward and away from said central longitudinal axis of said core holder, said bale having a pair of mutually parallel arms fixed with respect to each other and extending in a posture generally parallel with said central longitudinal axis of said core holder, said pair of mutually parallel arms comprising,  
       a first brake arm operable to extend transversely across the roll of paper towel segments mounted upon said core holder and, during a paper towel dispensing operation, said brake arm contacts an exterior surface of the roll of paper towel segments, and  
       a second actuating arm operable to extend transversely across the direction of unreeling of the roll of paper towel segments and being spaced from said first brake arm and away from the exterior surface of the roll of paper towel segments,  
       said second actuating arm providing a tear bar such that paper towel segments can be facilely trained beneath said first brake arm, and over said second actuating arm such that unreeling of a desired number of the paper towel segments can be achieved with one hand and downward movement of the paper towel segments against the second actuating arm will concomitantly force said first brake arm to be pressed against the exterior surface of said roll of paper towel segments to stop rotation of the roll and effect lateral tearing of the desired number of paper towel segments over said second actuating arm along one of the tear lines adjacent to said second actuating arm.  
     
     
       2. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said base comprises a solid, rectangular mounting pad having a flat surface operably adjoining said generally planar surface to provide a stable support for said core holder and said single hand, paper towel dispensing bale.  
     
     
       3. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 2  wherein: 
       said base comprises a solid, rectangular mounting pad having a plurality of mounting apertures operable to support mounting of said core holder and said single hand, paper towel dispensing bale.  
     
     
       4. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 2  wherein: 
       said base comprises a solid, rectangular mounting pad fitted with a magnet operable for mounting said paper towel dispenser to a metallic, generally vertical, surface.  
     
     
       5. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 2  wherein: 
       said base comprises a solid, rectangular mounting pad fitted with a transparent cover operable for displaying photographs and other insignia on a visible generally planar surface of said base.  
     
     
       6. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said core holder is formed from a generally U-shaped heavy gauge wire having a first holder arm mounted upon said base and a second holder arm, extending generally parallel with said first holder arm and being operable for receiving a core of a roll of paper towel segments.  
     
     
       7. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 6  wherein: 
       said first holder arm is pivotally mounted upon said base and said second holder arm carries a core carrying member, said core carrying member being pivotally mounted upon said second holder arm.  
     
     
       8. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 7  wherein: 
       said core carrying member is formed having a generally cylindrical exterior configuration for releasable but firmly engaging the interior surface of a cylindrical core of the roll of paper towel segments such that in operation there is no relative rotation between said core carrying member and said cylindrical core of the roll of paper towel segments.  
     
     
       9. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said single hand, paper towel dispensing bale is formed from a segment of heavy gauge wire formed in a generally U-shaped configuration wherein a first wire member is pivotally mounted with respect to said base and said pair of mutually parallel arms are also composed of a heavy gauge wire and said second actuating arm terminating in a free distal end that is bent approximately ninety degrees with respect to the transverse extent of said second actuating arm and being operable to retain a roll of paper towel segments on said core holder during a process of unreeling and tearing of the desired number of the paper towel segments from the roll.  
     
     
       10. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said paper towel dispensing bale is attached to said core holder by a chain element fastened between said paper towel dispensing bale and said core holder.  
     
     
       11. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said paper towel segments can be facilely trained beneath said first arm, reversibly folded partially around said first brake arm and over said second actuating arm.  
     
     
       12. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said paper towel segments can be facilely trained beneath said first arm, around said first arm and over said second arm n a general S-shaped path.  
     
     
       13. A single hand, paper towel dispenser comprising: 
       a mounting base operable for mounting said paper towel dispenser to a generally planar surface;  
       a paper towel core holder connected to said base and being operable for holding a roll of paper towel segments of a desired number and length connected end to end at perforated junctions locations; and  
       a dispensing bale member pivotally mounted with respect to said mounting base and being operable to pivot toward and away from said mounting base, said dispensing bale member comprising dual, mutually parallel, and actuating arms fixed with respect to each other having a slot there between operable for receiving and dispensing paper towel segments when a connected series of paper towel segments are fed in a generally S-shaped path beneath the first of said dual arms of said dispensing bale, through said slot and up and over the second of said dual arms of said dispensing bale such that a downward and lateral motion applied to said connected series of paper towel segments, applies pressure to said second arm of said dispensing bale member which concomitantly serves to apply braking pressure from said first arm against the roll of paper towel segments to stop rotation of said roll of paper towel segments while a tear is made along a perforated junction to dispense a desired number of connected series of paper towel segments with one hand.  
     
     
       14. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 13  wherein: 
       said mounting base comprises a rectangular mounting pad and a magnet operable for releasable affixing said mounting base to a metallic surface.  
     
     
       15. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 13  wherein: 
       said mounting base comprises a solid, rectangular mounting pad and a transparent cover operable for displaying photographs or other insignia on the mounting base.  
     
     
       16. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 13  wherein: 
       said core holder connected to said mounting base is operably connected to said mounting base in a fixed, stationary position to rotatably support the roll of paper towel segments along a central longitudinal axis.  
     
     
       17. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 16  wherein: 
       said bale member is composed of heavy gauge wire fashioned to form a dual generally U-shaped configuration and being mounted to pivot toward and away from a central axis of said core holder and being pivoted toward said one of said parallel arms having a generally radially extending extension at a distal end thereof to retain a roll of paper towel segments on said core holder during dispensing of paper towel segments from said dispenser.  
     
     
       18. A single hand, paper towel dispenser as defined in  claim 17  wherein: 
       one arm of said pair of mutually parallel arms being operable to provide a brake against the exterior surface of a roll from rotating on said core holder as downward tearing force is applied on a paper towel segment trained over the other of said pair of mutually parallel arms.  
     
     
       19. A single hand, paper towel sheet dispenser comprising: 
       a base operable to be mounted upon a generally planar surface;  
       a core holder for a roll of paper towel segments connected together end-to-end along transverse serrated tear lines, said core holder being connected to said base, said core holder being operable to rotatably support the roll of paper towel segments; and  
       a single hand, paper towel sheet dispensing bale operably connected to said core holder and being free to pivot with respect to said core holder, said dispensing bale having a pair of mutually parallel bars extending in a posture generally parallel to a central longitudinal axis of said core holder and transverse to the roll of paper towel segments when said roll is operably mounted upon said core holder, and said pair of mutually parallel bars comprising,  
       a brake bar operable to extend transversely across and, during a paper towel dispensing operation, said brake bar contacts an exterior surface of the roll of paper towel segments mounted upon said core holder, and  
       a tear bar operable to extend transversely across a direction of unreeling of the roll of paper towel segments mounted upon said core holder and being spaced from said brake bar such that a free end of said roll of paper towel segments is facilely trained beneath said brake bar and over said tear bar,  
       wherein unreeling of a desired number of paper towel segments is achieved with one hand to a position with a transverse serration line slightly past an outer surface of said tear bar and then angular movement of the desired length of paper towel segments against said tear bar will concomitantly force said brake bar to be pressed against the exterior surface of said segmented paper towel roll to brake rotation of the roll and effect lateral tearing of the desired number of paper towel segments.  
     
     
       20. A single hand, paper towel sheet dispenser as defined in  claim 19  wherein: 
       said core holder being pivotally connected to said base so that a roll of paper towel segments, when mounted on the core holder, is operable to pivot with respect to said base.  
     
     
       21. A single hand, paper towel sheet dispenser comprising: 
       a base operable to be mounted upon a support member;  
       a core holder bale operable to receive a roll of paper towel segments connected together end-to-end along transverse serrated tear lines, said core holder having a central longitudinal axis and being connected to said base; and  
       a single hand, paper towel sheet dispensing bale operably connected to said core holder and being free to pivot toward and away from said core holder, said bale having a pair of mutually parallel bars and extending in a posture generally parallel with said central longitudinal axis of said core holder, said pair of mutually parallel bars comprising,  
       a brake bar operable to extend transversely across and, during a paper towel dispensing operation, said brake bar will contact an exterior surface of the roll of paper towel segments mounted upon said core holder; and  
       a tear bar connected to but spaced from said brake bar and being operable to extend transversely across the direction of unreeling of the roll of paper towel segments and being spaced from said brake bar away from the roll of paper towel segments,  
       wherein said paper towel segments can be facilely trained beneath said brake bar and over said tear bar such that unreeling of paper towel segments can be achieved with one hand to a desired number of segments and angled movement of the unreeled number of segments against the tear bar will concomitantly force said brake bar against the exterior surface of said roll of paper towel segments to stop rotation of the roll and effect lateral tearing of the desired number of paper towel segments with one hand.